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Topic Review (Newest First)

11-27-2012 10:11 AM

Goldduster360

You can still get a running T/A in better shape for not much more than that. I know I'm gonna get flamed for this but there is a point where a car deteriorates to a point that it is not worth the effort to bring it back. If it were a 69 Firebird in the same shape it would be a no brainer. Too many 70's cars left to poke at. There is a hoarder in my town that has like 20 cars sitting in his yard, all 70's Lincolns and Cads sitting all over his yard, every one of them looks salvage yard fresh, rotting away in his yard for years. Just don't get it.

11-26-2012 12:23 PM

1979 TA

thats a very good point Ill further inspect this one from the info you guys gave me and see if its worth saving if not ill find a new one

11-26-2012 12:17 PM

poncho62

Never know, the body and frame may be great on this one....who really knows until you check it out. What the guys are trying to say here is to check a car out good before commit to it

11-26-2012 11:17 AM

1979 TA

Quote:

Originally Posted by killerformula

I think with some of the older cars you take what you can get in terms of body, especially if you get a good price. With this car, even though the TA's are reasonably desirable, they're pretty common and not worth a ton unless they're in absolutely perfect condition.

Starting where you are, there's no chance you'll ever get your money back out of this car if you take it to mint. Maybe you're not concerned about that, I wasn't when I bought mine.

With this car being more common, however, I would start with a little nicer car. Just because you can get a car cheap doesn't mean its a good deal. The car you have there doesn't look like its in terrible shape, but it needs just about everything. Seals are all going to be shot, the interior is going to need to be redone, there is a very good portion of the body that needs serious work even though most of the car looks like its all there.

I think another 1-2 thousand spent on the front end of this project will save you 5-6 thousand on the back and probably a year's time.

Good luck

K

thanks man ill find another one he has then i ws supposed to go yesterday but was called in to work and im not off till saturday so ill post some pics up of the one i see with the best body and frame and undercarriage

11-26-2012 11:12 AM

1979 TA

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69 widetrack

Choose another one or shop around...don't fall in love with a car until it's finished. Doing this car is like dating an ugly, mean woman hoping after hope that one day she's going to be pretty, after the expense of the plastic surgery she's still a beach.

Ray

that was a great way to put it

11-26-2012 09:52 AM

killerformula

I think with some of the older cars you take what you can get in terms of body, especially if you get a good price. With this car, even though the TA's are reasonably desirable, they're pretty common and not worth a ton unless they're in absolutely perfect condition.

Starting where you are, there's no chance you'll ever get your money back out of this car if you take it to mint. Maybe you're not concerned about that, I wasn't when I bought mine.

With this car being more common, however, I would start with a little nicer car. Just because you can get a car cheap doesn't mean its a good deal. The car you have there doesn't look like its in terrible shape, but it needs just about everything. Seals are all going to be shot, the interior is going to need to be redone, there is a very good portion of the body that needs serious work even though most of the car looks like its all there.

I think another 1-2 thousand spent on the front end of this project will save you 5-6 thousand on the back and probably a year's time.

Good luck

K

11-26-2012 09:38 AM

cobalt327

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1979 TA

I can choose another one i just liked this one because of the t tops

I think that Bandit movie w/Burt Reynolds sold more T-tops than GM ad men did!

T-tops are the worst! They leak, they let the body flex even more than it will anyway, and unless you just like the looks (I don't) there a total liability IMHO. Add the overall condition to that and I'd say to keep looking. A solid body (forget the paint and looks for now) is the main priority on the 2nd gen F-body.

11-26-2012 09:35 AM

69 widetrack

Choose another one or shop around...don't fall in love with a car until it's finished. Doing this car is like dating an ugly, mean woman hoping after hope that one day she's going to be pretty, after the expense of the plastic surgery she's still a beach.

Ray

11-26-2012 09:30 AM

1979 TA

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarryK

In 1978 with winnings from a tournament I was in, I bought my wife a new 1978 TA, although the car was a <200hp dog, I liked the style of the car and the wife liked the handling.

For last year have been watching for a nice 77-79 to restore and at same time build the engine to a more respectable 400-450 Hp range, so it can at least get out of its own way.

I have looked at a lot of them in the last year and the nice ones go for some big bucks but I have to tell you, that one is worth more as a parts car then anything and I will Guarantee you, the way that thing was setting in the mud, it has serious floorboard and trunk pan as well as frame rust damage.

The truth is, your Uncle hates you, just learn to live with it.

I can choose another one i just liked this one because of the t tops

11-26-2012 08:34 AM

BarryK

In 1978 with winnings from a tournament I was in, I bought my wife a new 1978 TA, although the car was a <200hp dog, I liked the style of the car and the wife liked the handling.

For last year have been watching for a nice 77-79 to restore and at same time build the engine to a more respectable 400-450 Hp range, so it can at least get out of its own way.

I have looked at a lot of them in the last year and the nice ones go for some big bucks but I have to tell you, that one is worth more as a parts car then anything and I will Guarantee you, the way that thing was setting in the mud, it has serious floorboard and trunk pan as well as frame rust damage.

The truth is, your Uncle hates you, just learn to live with it.

11-25-2012 10:04 AM

hcompton

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1979 TA

Im thinking of buying a 1979 Trans am with a 403 SBO as of right now its been sitting up for 10 years and was driven to the spot it sits at the body doesnt have too much rust Ill upload some pictures. Its one of the T/As with a towing package and i have no idea what the rear end gears are. Would this be a good project car to buy hes only asking $1700 for it

Wow you can buy these cars for alot less than 1700 bucks that car is wasted. Door gaps are not right its been in a few accidents. Save your money for something better. You can buy them with nice paint and still running good for 2500 all day long.

Is your uncle mad at you? That car is a parts car. In 79 they had major rust issues. Once you take the paint off that car you will be doing a frame off resto on a car that you can still buy in good condition. Its going to be in worse shap that it looks. I know someone here in md that has one in good shape for 1500 and i thought that was too much.

I posted on your engine thread but that car does not need any engine helpmit needs major overhaul. I have pulled a few t/a out of the weeds that one is going to be a money pit. You will never have the cash to make that car right. If you can afford the 1700 price tag.

11-24-2012 05:40 PM

1979 TA

Quote:

Originally Posted by vht

Get the 1 with the best body, try to get it on a lift before buying. Cars that have been setting tend to rust underneath and although you can get rails, floor boards etc, they are a pain to put in. I'd put a 455 pont eng in it, but thats me. I just worked on a 97 chevy 4x4 trk that had alum wheels, nice looking body but it had been setting for awhile in tall grass. I replaced gas tank, fuel lines, brk lines, you name it. Nothing came loose very easy, and there is still alot that could be replaced but he run out of money.

We did put this one on a lift and the undercarriage didn't seem to be an issue at all it was just dirty and gunky with black slime but as far as rust went i only saw the mufflers were rusty and the bolts looked to be the same.

11-24-2012 05:36 PM

1979 TA

Quote:

Originally Posted by ap72

I have three cars that I built engines for, did trans work on, suspension, wheels, etc.

they all need body work and I am in the middle of doing one of them- body work is a PITA and takes a lot of time and money. engine work is infinitely easier.

There's also more money tied up in body work than you ever think upfront- a couple gallons of paint, primer, reducer, and maybe bondo are the LEAST of it. I've spent more on stripper and sandpaper alone than all the paint.

Yea my uncle was telling me that materials for the paint is expensive because you have to buy quantities of material and prepping it for paint is the most time consuming and tedious process.

11-24-2012 05:33 PM

vht

Get the 1 with the best body, try to get it on a lift before buying. Cars that have been setting tend to rust underneath and although you can get rails, floor boards etc, they are a pain to put in. I'd put a 455 pont eng in it, but thats me. I just worked on a 97 chevy 4x4 trk that had alum wheels, nice looking body but it had been setting for awhile in tall grass. I replaced gas tank, fuel lines, brk lines, you name it. Nothing came loose very easy, and there is still alot that could be replaced but he run out of money.

11-24-2012 05:24 PM

1979 TA

Yea hes collected for over 20 years. and he does quality work he really takes his time to perfect them a lot of people come to him when they need body work done. hes been doing bodywork for over 30 years so i trust him to get whatever needs to be done on it finished. ill try to put some pictures up tomorrow when i go over he has a garage with at least ten hes done so they can stay out of the weather

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